1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a clip for connecting a rod to an actuating lever. In particular, the invention relates to a durable clip that connects the end of a rod to a lever for operating accessories in motor vehicles.
2. The Prior Art
It is well known in the automotive industry to use rod clips to connect actuating rods to levers. This type of arrangement is especially common with door locking mechanisms and carburetor linkage arrangements. The clips are typically made of a plastic material and snap around the end of the rod. The lever is then snapped into a protrusion on the clip having a retaining lip or latches on its sides.
One typical clip is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,178,479 to Brown et al. This clip has a c-shaped rod-retaining part which snaps around the end of the rod. The latch then snaps into the protrusion.
Another device used by Ford Motor Company comprises a two-piece clip having two sides that fold to enclose the rod and a pivoting second piece that snaps over the folded sides. The rod-enclosing portion of the clip is threaded to securely retain the clip and to allow for fine adjustments of the rod after the clip is attached. This clip is durable and works well to retain the rod and lever, but is expensive to produce and time-consuming to assemble. Another clip used in the automotive industry comprises a one-piece clip where the two sides of the clip fold over and snap around the rod. The sides of the clip are threaded to retain the rod. This clip has the drawback that the hinge connecting the two sides of the clip often breaks.